David, in Hebrew the name means "beloved" or possibly
"chieftain," was a gifted at playing the lyre (1 Samuel 16:18).
Also he was conspicuous for valor as displayed with the killing of a lion
and bear in protection of his father flocks. He was a shepherd, and became
one of Israel's most famous kings. He was born in Bethlehem, the youngest
son of Jesse, a sheik, (1 Samuel 16:1; 2 Samuel 5:4) and apparently has
seven older brothers.

His relationship with King Saul is prominently
noteworthy. David's first meeting with Saul occurred after the latter's
disobedience to divine command for which he was deprived of the kingship,
and experienced melancholia, jealousy, and hatred. David was summoned when,
with God's permission, an evil spirit overcame Saul. David's excellent playing
improved Saul's condition, and the spirit departed (1 Samuel 16:14-13).
Afterwards, David returned to Bethlehem to continue his pastoral pursuits.

Later David visited his brethren who were fighting in Saul's army against
the Philistines, and he was appalled by the cowardice of the army when being
defied by the Philistine giant-champion Goliath. Being inspired with divine
courage, David with a simple shepherd's sling-shot and pebbles which he
got from a nearby stream killed the giant, which earned him national reputation.
Following this Saul immediately investigated David's family ties and admitted
him to his court (1 Samuel 17:55-18:2).

When becoming a warrior-courtier David soon won the friendship of Saul's
son Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-4), and feats in further clashes with the Philistines
only increased his reputation. This arouse Saul's insane jealousy and hatred
against David, and adding to Saul's hatred was the song of the Israeli women,
"Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands" (1
Samuel 18:5-9), which greeted the returning heroes. Saul still was not satisfied,
he wanted to get rid of David, so he ordered him to kill one hundred Philistines
and provide proof that he had. David did so and received Michal, Saul's
daughter. So David was spared from death only through the loyalty of Jonathan
and Michal.

During the next several years David stayed away from Saul. Michal was
given in marriage to another and was not returned to David until after Saul's
death. He fled as a fugitive going to Samuel, then to Nob, on the pretense
of being on a secret mission from Saul, he received an answer from the oracle,
along with food and the sword of Goliath. He then fled to Achish, king of
Gath, where, as the slayer of Goliath, he pretended to be insane in order
to escape death by the Philistines (1 Samuel 21:10-15). As an outlaw, a
biblical Jesse James, David with a band of supporters made the Cave of Adullum
their headquarters. In the mountainous region he and his band hunted like
animals. Occasionally David had Saul within his sight, but out of mercy
let him go.

Gradually David tired of this renegade life and crossed the Philistine
frontier, though not as a fugitive as before, but with a sizeable force
of 600 men (1 Samuel 27:3, 4). Achish, king of Gath, gave him, after the
manner of Eastern kings, the city of Ziklag on the Philistine frontier (1
Samuel 27:6). It was from the Philistines that David learned much military
knowledge. While absent from Ziklag, the Amalekites burned the city carrying
off the women and children. David overtook these raiders and captured much
of the spoils. Two days following this victory an Amalekite arrived announcing
Saul's death at Gilboa.

As a result of Saul's death a crisis arouse in Israel's political history
initiating a period of civil war. David took up residence at Hebron in the
hill country of Judah, some nineteen miles south west of Jerusalem. There
he was anointed king of the house of Judah and reigned over that tribe for
seven and half years (2 Samuel 2:1-11). In the mean time a long civil war
between the houses of Saul and David waged on until the former was exterminated
and David was anointed king over all of Israel (2 Samuel 2:5-8:5). The high
mark of David's early reign was his conquest of Jebusite Jerusalem by ascending
its walls by grappling hooks, according to tradition, and making it the
capital of the realm. This was an amazing city, according to archeological
findings, with strong walls and an amazing underground water system. What
was once "stronghold of Zion" subsequently became "the city
of David" (2 Samuel 5:7). After conquering the city David showed great
wisdom by making it his capital. By its location on the borders of Judah
and Israel it tended to alleviate the jealousy between the northern and
southern portions of his kingdom. Being liberated from the Canaanites opened
a highway to the north greatly facilitating commerce and foreign intercourse,
and was an important factor in the unification of the kingdom.

David's unification of his kingdom greatly provoked the fear and jealousy
of the Philistines whom he decisively defeated and effectively nullified
their power (2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 18:1; 2 Samuel 21:15-22). Among
David's other conquests were the Moabites, Arameans, Ammonites, Edomites,
and Amalekites (2 Samuel 8:10; 12:26-31). This vast empire, reaching from
Ezion-Geberon the Gulf of Aqabah in the south to the region of the Hums
bordering on the city-state of Hamath in the north, David was able to leave
Solomon, his son (Albright, p. 131).

The efficient organization of his kingdom was principally due to David's
outstanding administrative skills (Cf. 1 Chronicles 22:17-27:34). His officialdom
was organized partially on Egyptian models (Albright, p. 120). The knowledge
of the Egyptian institutions that he copied probably came through Phoenician
or other channels. David principally employed the divisions of the functions
between the "recorder," mazkir, and the "scribe,"
sopher (2 Chronicles 8:16, 17), and the Council of Thirty (Cf. 1
Chronicles 27:6). His army, which he also efficiently organized, contained
a special personal bodyguard of mercenaries, presumably of Philistine extraction,
called Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Samuel 8:16, 18)

Some cities, including the cities of refuge (Numbers 35), were Levitical
cities were provided for by Moses and by Joshua after conquest (Joshua 21:2),
other cities not among these but later conquered by David were also included.
In doing this David strengthened the Israelite confederation. Recognizing
that there would be criminals, including those involved in tribal and blood
feuds, within the confederation, David quickly took advantage of the Mosaic
provision of the six refuge cities, three on each side of the Jordan River,
to contain the criminal element and maintain peace.

David established Jerusalem as the religious center. His most important
act toward this goat was the transfer of the ark back to Jerusalem from
Keriath-jearim, where the holy chest of the Israelites had been kept except
for a brief period since about 1050 BC. The transfer required two attempts
since on the first attempt the ark was not carried according to prescribed
Mosaic regulations (Numbers 4:5, 15, 19). David then resorted to the Philistine
expedient of a new oxen drawn cart (Cf. 1 Samuel 6:7, 8), which led to the
death of Uzzah. Finally after four months and with great religious celebration
the ark reached the city of David (2 Samuel 6:12-14) where David is said
to have "danced before the Lord girded with a linen ephod"
(2 Samuel 6:14). Illustrations of the ephod were provided by Assyrian and
Ugaritic texts, it was an ordinary garment apparently first worn especially
by women. Only later did it become restricted to religious and subsequently
priestly use. However, in Israel the ephod early became a distinctive part
of the dress of the Levitical priesthood. Apparently David's wearing of
the ephod on this occasion marked his capacity as Yahweh's anointed king
and his special representative. The Davidic tent was certainly copied after
the specifications of the Mosaic prototype, as the one that had existed
at Nob (1 Samuel 21:1, 9).

Many proclaimed David organized Hebrew sacred music. Despite critical
denials of this there is nothing inconsistent with such a claim to be found
in the evidence describing the Near East during the period of 1000 BC, the
Biblical Davidic period. Palestinian ancient musician were well-known in
antiquity as shown by Egyptian and Mesopotamian monuments in the early 19th
century BC. Some of the statures showed Semitic craftsmen carrying musical
instruments with them as they entered Egypt, notably is the relief from
Beni-Hasan , 169 miles above Cairo. In epic religious literature discovered
at Ras Shamra is portrayed the singers, sharim, as forming a special
personnel class at Ugarit as early as 1400 BC. Archeological and linguistic
give evidence of musical guilds among the Canaanites. All preceding evidence
give credence to the Biblical material that David possessed and fostered
musical ability.

Next David was desirous to construct a temple to house the ark. He told
his desire to the prophet Nathan who without waiting to consult God told
him, "Do all that is within thine heart; for God is with thee."
But this was not God's intension; on the same night Nathan received a message
that David was not to build the house for God to dwell in; that he (David)
had been a man of war; that God would first establish his house; and that
his son would build the temple (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). Encouraged
and inspired by this divine approbation David made it a major objective
of his reign to gather the means and materials for this important undertaking.

After taking up residence in Jerusalem, David inquired whether any of
Saul's descendants remain. Through an old servant of Saul, Ziba, he learned
of Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan. David sent for Mephibosheth, returned
Saul's possessions to him, and gave him a place at the king's table (2 Samuel
9:13).

About this time Israel suffered a three-year famine, which terrified
the country. David did not know the cause so he consulted God. The Lord
replied, "It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew
the Gibeonites." This fact remained unclear. The Gibeonites were sent
for, and upon their requisition David surrendered to them two sons of Rizpah,
a concubine of Saul, and five sons of Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel.
When they were crucified, and bodies left uncared for to be watched over
by Rizpah, David was told, and he ordered their bodies along with Saul's
and Jonathan's, which were brought from Jabesh, to be honorably placed with
the family tomb at Zelah, in the tribe of Benjamin. This was around the
time he was nice to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 21:1-14).

A harem, kept in princely courts, has almost always been a custom in
the Eastern World. This led to a dangerous fall for David. One night when
walking on his roof he saw a beautiful woman bathing which excited him.
When inquiring of her identity he was informed that the woman was Bathsheba,
the daughter of Eliam, and wife of Uriah the Hittite. He sent for her and
she obeyed him. In order to conceal his sin of adultery, and secure Bathsheba
for his wife, David sent Uriah into a dangerous battle situation where he
was killed, thus adding murder to his other crime. From this time forward
trouble overshadowed David; the outrage of his daughter Tamar, by his oldest
son Ammon, and the murder of the latter by the servants of Absalom (2 Samuel
11:1-13:29)

Afterwards Absalom fled to Talmai where he was befriended and remained
for three years. Then being recalled to Jerusalem, he stayed in his personal
residence. Absalom then aspired to take over the throne; gaining permission
he journeyed to Hebon when he had more support. Learning od Absalom's activities
David left Jerusalem crossed the Jordan, going to Mahanaim, the same capital
where Saul took up exile. David eventually defeated Absolam, his death occurred
in the "forest of Ephraim," as well as his hereditary enemies
of the tribe of Benjamin, after which he reigned peacefully again in Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 17-20).

There were other battles as well, for as mighty as David was he created
many enemies wishing to see him dethroned. But, to the Hebrew people David
was one of their finest kings, holding their esteem until the present. Dying
at seventy, his tomb became the sepulcher for the kings of Judah, presently
located on a southern hill called Mount Zion, it has been visited by thousands
since the Crusades.

The Hebrew people and others remember David for his bravery and leadership,
both military and civil, and his ability to enlarge the land of Israel,
but they remember him mostly for his steadfast faith in God Jehovah. It
is believed that he had unshakable trust in Jehovah, and the brightest and
most spiritual views of creation and government of the world, together with
a constant, tender, and sensitive of the Holy One of Israel, and a strong
desire to loyally return to him even after all of his errors and transgressions.

In the aggadah, David is exalted as a great poet, one credited with writing
the Psalms, and a scholarly king. The unique status of the Davidic line
of kingship is particularly emphasized: It was said that even God "looks
forward to David's being king until the end of the generations" (Gen.
R 88. 7). However, on earth, the Davidic reign continued with Solomon,
David's son borne of Bathsheba.